Smoke-consuming flue.



No. 636,044. Patented Oct 31,1899.

F E. HUMPHREYS. SMOKE GONSUMING FLUE.

(Application filed June 30, 1899.)

('No Model.)

WITNESSES:

@T M My 3 ATTORNEY UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN E. HUMPHREYS, OF MASON CITY, IOlVA.

SMOKE-'CONSUMINGQFLUE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 636,044, dated October 31, 1899.

Application filed June 30,1899. Serial No. 722,368. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN E. HUM- PHREYS, residing at Mason City, in the county of Oerro Gordo and State of Iowa, have invented Improvements in Smoke-Consuming Flues, of which the following is a specifica tion.

My invention relates to smoke-consumers, the object being to effect complete combustion of the fuel by causing the soot, gases, &c., in passing from the furnace to mingle with oxygen in a heated state and return to the combustion-chamber.

The novelty of the invention lies in the peculiar construction of the flue whereby the object as above set forth is attained.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like referencenumerals indicate similar parts throughout both views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 isa view in diagram illustrating one embodiment of my invention applied, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification.

1 represents a furnace, which may be of any well-known form and is provided with doors 2 and 3, opening, respectively, above and below the grate 4, the upper surface of which is indicated by a dotted line.

5 represents the smoke-flue,which is formed in part of a series of tapering cylindrical sections 6 6, &c., arranged one above the other in a manner to provide annular outlets 7 7, &c., between their adjoining ends.

8 represents a casing or jacket inclosing a suitable length of the flue, including the tapered sections.

9 representsa continuation or enlarged extension of the part 8,which partially or wholly incloses the combustion-chamber of the furnace-that is to say, the perpendicular sides may be omitted, leaving a simple spreader of the hot-air blast.

1O 10 represent air-inlets in the flue casing or jacket, which may take air at their height or be supplied by way of one or more pipes 11, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, from a point nearer the floor-line.

The air in entering the inclosed space between the jacket and flue becomes heated and owing to the draft through the flue proper is drawn downward, as indicated by arrows.

The downdraft thus established serves to draw out and carry with it the heavy combustible gases, soot, &c., which escape unconsumed from the furnace. These gases, &c., being of greater weight are crowded toward the inner wall by the upward passage of the lighter gases through the flue proper and in passing through that portion of the flue formed by tapered sections find outlet by way of the annular openings 7 7. The air and gases in passing downward mingle and become highly heated and in this state enter the combustionchamber at points either or'both above and below the grate by way of suitable openings or pipes 12 12, 850., under the influence of the updraft through the flue proper.

The construction above described is equally applicable to a horizontal flue, as illustrated in Fig. 2, in which 13 represents the jacket, 14 a cap closing the bottom opening of the jacket and which may be detached as required to render the interior accessible for the removal of any accumulation of soot, &c., thereby avoiding the necessity for taking down the pipe or flue in order to clean it. It will of course be apparent that there may be a number of such capped openings as the length of the flue requires. The partitions 6 6, 850., are the equivalent to the conical flue-sections 6 6, &c., and are so relatively arranged as to provide outlets for the heavy gases or unconsumed products of combustion whicl1 escape from the furnace, the flow therethrough being indicated by the arrows.

11 represents a fresh-air-supply pipe which delivers to the horizontal flue at the point 10. It will thus be seen that the construction of the flue in its application to either a vertical or horizontal chimney is substantially the same.

In operation after the fire has been kindled, &c., all of the lower draftsz'. e., those of the furnace properare closed off, and complete combustion of the fuel is effected in the manner described.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction or arrangement of parts illustrated and described, as various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. lhe combination with a furnace, of a jacketed smoke-flue, the fiue proper having its diameter increased at one or more points and provided with openings coincident with such enlargements, and means for maintaining an air-supplyto the furnace by way of the space between the jacket and flue, as specified.

2. The combination with a furnace, of a jacketed smoke-flue, provided with requisite air-inlets, the included portion of the flue being formed of a series of tapered sections arranged one above the other, leaving annular spaces between their adjoining ends, and means for conducting air to the furnace, by way of the jacketed space, as specified.

3. The combination with a furnace and its FRANKLIN E. IIUMPIIREYS.

Witnesses S. P. MosHER, JOHN H. GRAIN. 

